Millwall, Charlton and Gillingham legend dies aged 63

Former Millwall and Charlton Athletic star Dave Mehmet has passed away at the age of 63 years old having suffered a stroke.

The news was confirmed by another of the midfielder's previous clubs, Gillingham Football Club on Tuesday. Lions players will wear black armbands when playing Leicester City in the Championship this evening in memory of their former youth product.

Millwall said that the club was 'saddened to hear' of the 63-year-old's passing. Mehmet made 153 appearances for the London club, scoring 17 times.

In a statement, the club said: "A skilful and intelligent midfield performer who graduated through Millwall's youth system, Dave was a member of the exciting youth team which saw Millwall earn success by winning the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 1979.

"Highly-rated, Dave was given his first-team debut by manager Gordon Jago in the last game of the 1976/77 season against Burnley. Dave was not only Millwall's youngest goalscorer when he netted the equaliser at The Den in a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United in October 1977 as a 17-year-old, but he was also the youngest Lion to reach 100 appearances at 19 years, 260 days when he faced Brentford in August 1980."

Mehmet eventually left The Den to follow Jago to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USA, leaving for a fee of £120,000 in March 1981. He then returned to the UK to play for Charlton Athletic less than a year later and would go on to represent Gillingham and a number of clubs in the Kent area.

The former player was still playing in the Kent County League at the age of 40 before moving into coaching. In 2008, he was appointed manager of Fisher Athletic for a brief spell.

Tributes from several clubs that Mehmet represented have come flooding in on Tuesday. Gillingham Football Club said: "Gillingham Football Club would like to express their condolences to Dave’s family and friends at this sad time."

Beckenham Town also wrote: "We are extremely sad to learn of the passing of Beckenham Town Coach, and former @MillwallFC player, Dave Mehmet. A true friend to many at our club and more across all levels of football, Dave will always be remembered and the memories never forgotten. Rest In Peace, Dave."